Chicken was, and still is, the heart of the southern Fortymile Mining District, and many of these works are visible along the highway. The second town in Alaska to be incorporated (Skagway was the first), the town got its name (or so the story goes) after its residents, who wanted to call it "Ptarmigan," couldn't figure out how to spell that. Chicken has only a handful of permanent residents, mostly miners and trappers, creating an authentic frontier atmosphere.
Chicken is far from a prime shopping stop, but what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in atmosphere. The town is small, so you don’t have far to go to find everything you need. If you like bluegrass music, be sure to check out the Chickenstock Music Festival (www.chickenstockmusicfest.com) if you're passing through in mid-June.
